A FIVE-star hotel which was named and shamed for failing to pay workers the national minimum wage says it ‘fell through a technicality’.

It has now altered the way it charges staff for accommodation and uniforms.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has revealed that The Manor House Hotel and Golf Club had failed to pay £4,613.85 to nine workers.

The £150-a-night hotel, which was one of three Wiltshire firms to be fined the department said last week, admitted it had fallen short through the technicalities of pay bandings.

A spokesman for the hotel said: “The Manor House is committed to being a good employer, as demonstrated by the many awards we have won as a best in class employer.

“We always pay all our permanent employees an hourly rate well above the national minimum wage, irrespective of age.

“We have fallen short on a technicality around deposits taken for accommodation and uniforms, all of which were refunded to our employees before inspections. We have, in very few cases, charged a rent for limited period that was over the agreed bandings.

“It is hugely distressing to us that the inspectors are using technicalities to criticise many respectable companies alongside those that are genuinely paying less than minimum wage.

"We are confident that we have made adjustments to contracts and our live-in accommodation depositing systems that means this will not be an issue for us in the future.”

The company, which said it has been praised by the inspectors for adjusting its administration process, was named as one of 260 who contributed to a £1.7m loss for around 16,000 workers.

Business Minister Margot James said: “There is no excuse for not paying staff the wages they’re entitled to and the government will come down hard on businesses that break the rules.

"That’s why we have named hundreds of employers who have been short-changing their workers; and to ensure there are consequences for their wallets as well as their reputation, we’ve levied millions in back pay and fines.”